Tobacco industry across India is being threatened due to ambiguity on pictorial policy.

Tobacco industry is facing losses of over Rs 350 crore each day as cigarette makers have shut operations due to lack of clarity on proposed graphic health warnings on tobacco products, Assocham said on Tuesday.

“Tobacco industry is facing losses worth over Rs 350 crore each day as cigarette makers have been forced to shut operations due to lack of clarity on proposed graphic health warnings on tobacco items,” the industry body said in a statement.

It said that livelihood of more than 45 million people engaged in tobacco industry across India is being threatened due to this ambiguity on policy.

Global average size of pictorial warnings on tobacco products is about 31% whereas as per the notification of the Health Ministry, tobacco products in the country are required to have pictorial warning on 85 per cent of packaging space, it said.